VB.NET Excel addin: how to create plugin
for Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013 and lower

VB.NET Excel examples

On this page you will find a set of HowTo samples that can help you to get started with Excel add-in development:

And here are a few more VB.NET examples for other applications of the Microsoft Office suite:

Excel extensions: COM add-in, RTD server

How to develop a COM add-in for Microsoft Office (Excel, Word and PowerPoint)

This sample shared COM add-in for Excel, Word and PowerPoint shows how you can use Add-in Express for Office and .net to add custom command bars and command bar controls, place new controls onto Office Ribbon tabs, create custom task panes, handle application-level events and more.
Download COM addin

How to customize Microsoft Excel ribbon and toolbar

See how to create custom ribbons and toolbars for Excel and how to integrate with an existing Excel tab.
Download add-in

How to customize Excel main menu, context menus and Backstage view

VB.NET sample shows how to create a custom context menu, add your own Backstage view item, customize the main menu in Excel 2003 - 2000.
Download sample

How to build your first Excel RTD server in VB.NET

See how to build an RTD server step-by-step in the Developer's Guide. The RTD server project is written in Visual Basic .NET. See also a video showing how to create an RTD server.
Download RTD server

Working with Excel Object model

How to handle the WorkbookBeforeSave event

If you develop a COM add-in for Microsoft Excel 2021 - 2000, you may find this VB.NET example useful.
Download sample

How to create a custom event when Excel calculation mode changes

This VB.NET Excel addin example provides a solution for missing event that should occur then the user changes the calculation mode.
Download addin

How to find the last used cell (row or column) in Excel

This Visual Basic sample explains some reliable methods for finding the last used cell in an Excel worksheet or a range.
Download Find Last Cell add-in

How to populate Excel workbooks and ranges with arrays

VB.NET code example shows how to use arrays to populate Excel with data; how to fill array with a query or range and insert into a worksheet, and more.
Download Populate with Arrays add-in

How to work with Excel tables & ranges using VB.NET

This sample Excel addin demonstrates how work with tables and ranges: create a new table or a range, insert a column or a row, sort, filter and more.
Download Excel Tables and Ranges add-in

How to work with Excel pivot tables

VB.NET code example shows how to automate pivot tables in Excel: create a PivotTable, add calculated fields, display or hide a field; delete, refresh or clear a pivot table; create a pivot chart and more.
Download Excel PivotTables Add-in

Advanced Excel Task Panes

How to show and hide Excel Task Panes programmatically

This Visual Basic .NET Excel sample demonstrates how to set the visibility of an advanced task pane to make it show up from the command bar.
Download VB.NET sample

How to switch between several task panes programmatically

This addin shows how you can use several custom task panes in one position and switch between them programmatically.
Download example

How to show an advanced Excel task pane dynamically

The Excel VB.NET add-in shows how to build a context-dependent custom task pane. The plug-in shows a task pane when cell A1 contains any value.
Download plug-in

How to re-size an Excel task pane in VB.NET

This Visual Basic .NET example shows how you can resize your custom form using Advanced Task Panes for Excel. To change the form size programmatically, you set the splitter to none. Otherwise, only the user can resize the task pane using the splitter.
Download sample plugin

User-defined functions

How to develop Excel Automation add-in

See how to create Excel Automation add-ins step-by-step in the Developer's Guide. The sample is written in VB.NET.
Download Automation add-in

How to develop XLL add-in

This sample project demonstrates how you can build an XLL addin in Visual Studio. You can find a detail description of this example in the Developer's Guide: How to create an XLL add-in.
Download XLL addin

Note. You can find plenty more HowTo examples on our technical blog. Be sure to check it out, we add new HowTo samples every week.